Irish thrashers GAMA BOMB have released a four-minute video clip featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for their forthcoming fourth album.

The video, shot in the band's native Dublin, reveals snippets of two new tracks titled "Backwards Bible" and "Metal Idiot" from the as-yet-untitled CD.

"We faced down a lot of challenges to make this album," says vocalist Philly Byrne. "We've been through surgery, injuries, a member departing and the occasional dose of the shits, but we're finally there and it's sounding completely badass.

"Some bands struggle to change themselves from album to album, but we don't. Our aim with this album, just like all our other ones, is to do what we do even better."

GAMA BOMB's new album, slated for release in early 2013, comes four years after the release of 2009's "Tales From The Grave In Space", which the band gave away as a free download via Rapidshare with then-label Earache Records.

Having announced a full U.K. tour — which includes a residency at London's Barfly – back in May, Finnish "merry metallers" RECKLESS LOVE have confirmed the release of a new eight-song mini-album ahead of the dates for October 1 via Spinefarm Records.

Commented RECKLESS LOVE frontman Olli Herman: "We are all so excited about this release. As old-school '80s metal fans, we wanted to put together something we were dying to get from our own idols, in the fashion of GUNS N' ROSES' 'Lies' (which was like a gift from heaven for us as kids); a sort of bonus item designed to reveal more of the whole band and its foundations. So, instead of just releasing 'Born To Break Your Heart' as a straight single, we've thrown in some kick-ass live tracks, plus a couple of bad-ass acoustic cuts and more, to give a special treat to our fans. To top it all off, we've got a great new mix of the title track by the legendary Tim Palmer himself."

The full track listing is as follows:

01. Born To Break Your Heart (Tim Palmer mix)
02. Beautiful Bomb (live)
03. On The Radio (live)
04. Hot (live)
05. Push (outtake from "Animal Attraction")
06. Animal Attraction (unplugged)
07. The Boys Are Back In Town (unplugged)
08. One More Time (unplugged)

Regarding the upcoming U.K. tour, Herman said, "We've also put together a healthy run of nationwide dates to back the whole thing up. So, this October we'll be embarking on a tour that throws us straight back into the spirit of our '80's Sunset Strip idols, by coming back every Thursday to the Barfly in Camden Town, North London — four London headline shows in a month! We're gonna make every night a special event. You'd better be there to witness it all — they'll be talking about this outing for some time to come!"

Main support for the tour comes in the form of U.K. rockers MALLORY KNOX, who will perform at all shows except the London Barfly dates on October 4, October 18 and October 25; other guests acts will be added to fill these slots.

REVAMP, the band led by former AFTER FOREVER vocalist Floor Jansen, will enter the studio in December to begin recording its sophomore album for a tentative March/April 2013 release.

A new one-and-a-half-minute video update from Jansen regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for the upcoming CD can be seen below.

REVAMP returned to the live stage in January at Metropool in Hengelo, The Netherlands as the support act for EPICA.

Video footage of REVAMP performing a brand new song, entitled "Sins", during the concert can be seen below.

Jansen performed at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil in November 2011 as a special guest of MAYAN, the band featuring EPICA/ex-AFTER FOREVER guitarist/songwriter Mark Jansen alongside Jack Driessen (ex-AFTER FOREVER) and Frank Schiphorst. This marked his first live appearance since her burn-out last year, which forced her to put on hold all concert activities.

REVAMP's self-titled debut album was released in Europe on May 28, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Audio samples of all the songs on the CD portion of JUDAS PRIEST's "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" can be streamed at JPC.de.

A vital part of rock history, British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have spent four decades writing classic songs and putting on spectacular live shows. During this period, the band has sold in excess of 30 million albums, and played to countless millions of fans across the globe. In 1982, they released their eighth studio album, "Screaming For Vengeance", containing their hugely successful "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", the single which proved that metal could get mainstream radio airplay in the U.S. — leading the way for a whole generation of new metal bands.

To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of this epic release, JUDAS PRIEST present you with "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition", containing not only the remastered original album plus bonus tracks, but also a live DVD from the 1983 US Festival show, filmed in San Bernadino CA on May 29, 1983.

The US Festival was intended to be a celebration of evolving technologies; a marriage of music, computers, television and people — organized by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple.

The "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" live DVD was filmed at the second, and what turned out to be last, US Festival in 1983. The Sunday was the Heavy Metal Day. "It was the day new wave died and rock 'n' roll took over." It set the single-day concert attendance record for the U.S. with an estimated 375,000 people.

JUDAS PRIEST had this to say about this memorable day in metal history: "On the day that we performed, we flew in by helicopter — and the first sight we saw was that of thousands of abandoned cars piled up around the crests of the hills that surrounded the festival arena, which as we went over took our breath away. For there below us, spread throughout hundreds of acres was a massive crowd — over three hundred thousand strong! The summer heat was raging and combined with the hot Santa Ana winds made for a scorching metal furnace on stage."

CD track listing:

01. The Hellion
02. Electric Eye
03. Riding On The Wind
04. Bloodstone
05. (Take These) Chains
06. Pain And Pleasure
07. Screaming For Vengeance
08. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
09. Fever
10. Devil's Child

Bonus tracks:

11. Electric Eye (live) *
12. Riding On The Wind (live) *
13. You've Got Another Thing Comin' (live) *
14. Screaming For Vengeance (live) *
15. Devil's Child (live)
16. Prisoner Of Your Eyes

* Live from the San Antonio Civic Center - September 10, 1982

DVD track listing:

US Festival Show - San Bernadino, California - May 29, 1983

01. Electric Eye
02. Riding On The Wind
03. Heading Out To The Highway
04. Metal Gods
05. Breaking The Law
06. Diamonds And Rust
07. Victim Of Changes
08. Living After Midnight
09. The Green Manalishi (with the two-pronged crown)
10. Screaming For Vengeance
11. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
12. Hell Bent For Leather

* Plus booklet featuring photos from Mark Weiss and sleeve notes written by Eddie Trunk (long-standing and well-respected U.S. rock journo, author, radio and TV presenter)

"Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" will be released on September 4 (one day earlier internationally) via Sony Music.

San Francisco based doom rockers ORCHID will release an EP featuring three brand new tracks and one song from their latest full-length album, "Capricorn", on September 7. The EP, entitled "Heretic", marks the band's first release for Nuclear Blast Records and will be made available both digitally as well as on 10-inch vinyl.

"Heretic" EP track listing:

01. Heretic
02. Falling Away
03. Saviours Of The Blind
04. He Who Walks Alone

A one-minute clip containing an audio sample of the song "He Who Walks Alone" and commentary from the band can be seen below.

Commented ORCHID guitarist Mark Baker: "Late in 2010, after we submitted the 'Capricorn' full-length to our label and waited for the release, we realized that there wouldn't be any extensive touring, so we just kept writing and rehearsing new material. A few months later, we were back in the studio cutting basics for new songs. By the time we finished the business of changing labels, we had way more than one album worth of new songs. We, along with Nuclear Blast, decided it would be a great idea to release a few of those on an EP this year while we wrap up everything for our next full-length. We're really excited for people worldwide to get a chance to check out what we've been up to in the last year. These new songs have the classic, anthemic ORCHID sound that people expect from us, along with a few elements that we've never shown before."

Since its inception in 2006, ORCHID — which features in its ranks well-known tattoo artist Theo Mindell on vocals — has achieved massive global awareness with their stunning releases "Through The Devil's Doorway" (EP, 2009) and "Capricorn" (full-length, 2011).

ORCHID is:

Theo Mindell: Vocals
Carter Kennedy: Drums
Mark Thomas Baker: Guitar
Keith Nickel: Bass

"Withering", the new video from Italian thrashers ENEMYNSIDE, can be seen below. The clip was filmed last November inside an old building that used to house a psychiatric hospital.

"Withering" comes off ENEMYNSIDE's new album, "Whatever Comes", which will be released on September 10 via Mighty Music. The CD, which was recorded at Temple Of Noise studios, features a guest appearance by vocalist/guitarist Richie Kotzen (formerly of POISON and MR. BIG), who has contributed a guitar solo to the track "Too Many Times".

Commented ENEMYNSIDE vocalist/guitarist Francesco "Frallo" Cremisini: "I'm very proud to have such a great musician playing a solo on the band's new album. He's one of the most talented guitar players around and a really nice person."

Added ENEMYNSIDE guitarist Matteo Bellezza: "The song he plays the solo on had this kind of instrumental part in the middle which sounded quite unusual for us because the first half is just with bass and drums and the second half with rythm guitars too. We needed something different from the other solos on the album, something really distintive, a solo which could play the lead role once the song gets there. Thanks to Richie now we got it!"

ENEMYNSIDE's second album, "In The Middle Of Nowhere", was released in 2008 through Hatestone Records.

For more information, www.facebook.com/enemynside.

"Withering" video:

SUBSIGNAL, the German band featuring former SIEGES EVEN members Arno Menses (vocals) and Markus Steffen (guitar), will release a concert DVD, "Out There Must Be Something - Live in Mannheim 2012", in November. Steffen states, "The DVD will feature the full show we played back in April in Mannheim, Germany, in a very small venue, filmed with six cameras. Actually, this is the place where the first SUBSIGNAL show back in 2009 took place."

He adds, "Don't expect explosions, fire and naked women on stage, but a DVD with 140 minutes of pure SUBSIGNAL music and a great audience."

SUBSIGNAL recently parted ways with drummer Roel van Helden and replaced him with Danilo Batdorf (DREAMSCAPE). According to the band, Danilo already successfully played the last leg of SUBSIGNAL's European tour in April/May.

SUBSIGNAL is currently working on material for the follow-up to last year's "Touchstones" for a 2013 release. Songtitles set to apper on the CD include "A Giant Leap Of Faith" and "The Stillness Beneath The Snow".

"Touchstones" was released in September 2011 via ZYX Music. The vinyl version came with two bonus live tracks, "Where Angels Fear To Tread" and "Paradigm".

SUBSIGNAL describes its music as "progressive, melancholic, cutting edge, emotional, blended with a good portion of melodic heaviness."

For more information, visit www.subsignalband.com.

One of the most memorable pioneers of the first wave of Finnish death metal, CONVULSE were there in 1990 with bands such as XYSMA, DISGRACE and ABHORRENCE to create the scene which was to become legendary.

Formed in 1988 under the name S.D.S., CONVULSE's first release was the "Resuscitation Of Evilness" demo cassette in 1990. The success of the demo led to a deal with the French record label Thrash Records, which released the band's first full-length album, "World Without God". A CD-single, "Lost Equilibrium", followed in 1993 via Relapse Records, after which CONVULSE prepared to record its second album, "Reflections". The group travelled to Sunlight Studios in Sweden and laid down the effort in a one-week period. The following year (1993) was dedicated to CONVULSE members performing their mandatory military service in Finland, which delayed the release of "Reflections" until the summer of 1994 (also through Relapse). An attempt to regroup in support of the CD ended "with poor results," and after serious discussions, a decision was made to put CONVULSE to rest.

After an 18-year break, CONVULSE returned in 2012 and played a few comeback shows in Finland. In addition, the band has already been confirmed to play next year's edition of the Maryland Deathfest, with more live appearances in the works.

A new CONVULSE vinyl EP, featuring two brand new tracks, is scheduled for a November release, and a new full-length album can be expected in 2013. Both the EP and the album will be made available via Svart Records.

"Our new material has a strong old-school death metal feel to it, and the band is tighter than ever before," says CONVULSE guitarist/vocalist Rami Jämsä. "When recording, we plan to concentrate on the energy brought on by playing everything live — no triggers or Pro Tools. Nothing beats a well-rehearsed band playing live, be it on stage or in the studio."

Video footage of CONVULSE playing the song "Incantation Of Restoration" live at their rehearsal studio can be seen below.

CONVULSE 2012 is:

Rami Jämsä: Guitar, Growls
Juha Telenius: Bass
Kristian Kangasniemi: Guitar
Rolle Markos: Drums

MEGADETH kicked off the "Countdown To Extinction" 20th-anniversary tour earlier tonight (Sunday, September 2) at Royal Center in Bogotá, Colombia.

Commented MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson: "Not that it's a competition or anything, BUT Bogota set the bar REALLY high for audience participation tonight!! The ENTIRE audience coordinated holding up custom Vic Rattlehead [MEGADETH's mascot] signs during the song 'Countdown To Extinction', custom dollar/peace signs during 'Peace Sells....' and killer Vic Rattlehead masks everywhere!!! One of the coolest things I've EVER seen at our shows....gave me goose bumps!!"

The setlist was as follows:

01. Trust
02. Hangar 18
03. She-Wolf
04. A Tout Le Monde
05. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
06. Public Enemy No. 1
07. Skin o' My Teeth
08. Symphony of Destruction
09. Architecture of Aggression
10. Foreclosure of a Dream
11. Sweating Bullets
12. This Was My Life
13. Countdown to Extinction
14. High Speed Dirt
15. Psychotron
16. Captive Honour
17. Ashes in Your Mouth

Encore:

18. Peace Sells
19. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Video footage of the "Countdown To Extinction" (the song) performance from tonight's concert can be seen below.

MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine previously stated about the band's plans for the "Countdown To Extinction" anniversary celebration, "MEGADETH will be going down to South America, we're going celebrate 'Countdown To Extinction''s 20th anniversary and 'Peace Sells… But Who's Buying''s 25th anniversary, so depending on where we're at we might end up doing more than one show. We're definitely going to do 'Countdown To Extinction' in its entirety and if we get a second night, we'll probably play most of 'Peace Sells'. There's a couple of songs on there I don't really like playing anymore, but other than that, it's a fun record to play."

MEGADETH's fifth LP, "Countdown To Extinction" was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. The band's best-selling full-length CD to date, it was certified double-platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for U.S. shipments in excess of two million copies. The album also produced the band's most successful hit singles, "Symphony Of Destruction", "Sweating Bullets", "Skin O' My Teeth" and "Foreclosure Of A Dream".

PROJECT TERROR (formerly BLOOD REDSKIES), the Texas-based power metal band featuring ex-VICIOUS RUMORS frontman Ronnie Stixx, will release its debut album, "Absolute Power", later this year through Pure Steel Records.

A song from the effort, "Conquistador", can now be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

"Absolute Power" track listing:

01. Day Of The Jackal
02. Take To The Sky
03. Absolute Power
04. Killing Machine
05. Conquistador
06. Breaking The Spell
07. Metal Heart
08. The Mirrror

In other news, PROJECT TERROR will be joined by CRIMSON GLORY guitarist Ben Jackson will for their upcoming appearance at the South Texas Rock Fest.

Says Stixx: "Ben has joined forces with us and we are very excited to have on broad with us we are looking forward to sharing the stage with at this year's South Texas Rock Fest, scheduled for Saturday, October 13th at Sunken Gardens in San Antonio, Texas."

PROJECT TERROR's current lineup is completed by bassist Joseph Benjamin and drummer Mark Reyes.

Regarding the band's decision to change its name from BLOOD REDSKIES to PROJECT TERROR, Stixx previously said, "After fours years of establishing the name BLOOD REDSKIES, I know people are saying, 'What the hell?' Well, I thought long and hard about the name change even though I love the name BLOOD REDSKIES. I even named the band after a song I wrote. But at the end of the day, I just wasn't really happy with it."

He added, "I have always wanted to call the band PROJECT TERROR after a local sci-fi/horror TV show from 1970 which originated in my hometown San Antonio, Texas. As a kid, this show would scare the hell out of me. Through the years, I knew I wanted that name for a band. The name fits the new energy and direction in which the band is going."

PROJECT TERROR's music is described in the band's official bio as "a great blend of European and U.S. power metal, with catchy riffs [and] strong vocal melodies . . . in the vein of DIO, TNT, HALFORD, SAXON and PRIMAL FEAR."

Former ELIXIR vocalist Paul Taylor and guitarist Phil Denton have launched a new band called MIDNIGHT MESSIAH. The name of the group is taken from one of the songs the pair wrote for the final ELIXIR album.

"We wanted to retain a connection to ELIXIR and our past, as the new band will be similar in style to what we have done before," commented Denton.

MIDNIGHT MESSIAH is currently rehearsing new material before entering the studio to record its debut album, tentatively due in 2013. The band will then make its live debut promoting the new CD as well as including some ELIXIR favorites in the live set.

"We have a brilliant young lead guitarist, Dave Strange, and a solid, powerful drummer in Darren Lee, and the new guys have learned the new songs very quickly," adds Phil. "The two of them have really brought our songs to life and Paul and I are really pleased with how things are going."

MIDNIGHT MESSIAH is:

Paul Taylor – Vocals
Phil Denton - Guitar
Dave Strange - Guitar
Darren Lee - Drums

A bass player for the band has not yet been announced.

ELIXIR play two final farewell shows in October at The Bridge House 2, Canning Town, London on Saturday, October 13 and at De Verlichte Geest in Roeselare, Belgium on Saturday, October 20.

ORGY, the reactivated "death pop" band from California, is preparing to release "Grime Of The Century", its first new single in over seven years. The track, which was recorded at NRG Recording and Entourage studios in North Hollywood, California, will be made available digitally on September 4 and as a physical CD on September 10.

ORGY will promote the single release by embarking on three-to-five-week tour in November. Additional dates in "major markets" will take place at the end of 2012 and in early 2013.

"Grime Of The Century" is available for streaming at Banana1015.com.

Several photos from the studio can be found at WireImage.com.

ORGY canceled the last five shows of its spring "Bad Blood Tour 2012" "due to high demand for new music."

Joining vocalist and sole remaining original member Jay Gordon in ORGY's new lineup are Carlton Bost (DEADSY, THE DREAMING, LUNARCLICK) on guitar, Ashburn Miller (DEADSY) on guitar, Nic Speck (RUN RUN RUN) on bass and Jamie Miller (SNOT, THE START) on drums.

In a recent interview with Icon Vs. Icon, Gordon was asked what the catalyst was for rebooting and moving forward with the project. "Ya know, it had just been too long," he said. "I was really interested in getting back out on the road. That was the first thing I wanted to do. It had been so long, I just wanted to get out there, brush the rust off and roll with it to see what happens. To do that you have to have a band and start playing gigs right away and that is exactly what I did."

On the topic of ORGY's new members, Jay said, "The new lineup is amazing! I don't plan on looking back, let's put it that way, they are that good. They are all amazing artists. Both guitar players, Carlton Bost and Ashburn Miller, came from DEADSY. The bass player, Nic Speck came from RUN RUN RUN. The drummer, Jamie Miller, is from SNOT and THE START. He is an amazing drummer! All of the guys are truly amazing performers and we get along great."

The official trailer for "Libertine", the fourth solo album from Norwegian singer Liv Kristine (LEAVES' EYES, ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY), can be seen below. The CD will be released via the Napalm Records subsidiary Black Rose Productions on the following dates:

North America: September 4
Spain, Finland, Sweden, Greece: September 5
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux: September 7
Rest Of The World: September 10

"Libertine" was recorded at Mastersound Studio in Steinheim, Germany — the facility owned by her husband, Alexander Krull (ATROCITY, LEAVES' EYES) — and marks Liv's collaboration with Dutch musician J.B. van der Wal (ABORTED, DR. DOOM), who recently joined LEAVES' EYES and ATROCITY as the two bands' new bassist.

"Libertine" track listing:

01. Interlude (intro)
02. Solve Me
03. Silence
04. Vanilla Skin Delight (duet with Tobias Regner)
05. Panic
06. Paris Paris
07. Wait For Rain
08. Love Crime
09. Libertine
10. Meet Me In The Red Sky
11. The Man With A Child In His Eyes (KATE BUSH cover)

The "Libertine" cover artwork can be seen below.

Commented Liv: "'Libertine' is truly a milestone in my career; it sums up my most important artistic experiences in my creative journey through life. The more rock and metal-based songs like 'Vanilla Skin Delight' (including superb male vocals from Tobias Regner, the third-season winner of 'Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar', the German reality show in the style of 'American Idol'), 'Paris Paris', 'Solve Me' and title track, 'Libertine', certainly expose some of those magic moments which fans of THEATRE OF TRAGEDY enjoyed and treasured on 'Aegis' and 'Musique'. The ballads 'Silence', 'Love Crime' and 'Meet Me In The Red Sky' will go straight into you hearts, each of them being absolute individual in their emotional expressions and musical compositions. Alex gave each track a perfect sound in the mix by emphasizing on each song's characteristic accent and atmosphere."

She added, "I can't wait to let you hear this album; it is exceptional to me both personally and in my artistic career, and I can't wait to play these songs for you live! The cover and booklet artwork is completed as well. It took a while for me, personally, to find the artistic expression I wished to expose in my pictures, however, Heile and Alex guided me into the right direction, for which I am so happy and grateful."

Liv Kristine's third solo album, "Skintight", came out in North America in September 2010 via Napalm Records.

Black Market Activities has set an October 23 release date for "Danza IIII: The Alpha - The Omega", the fourth and final album by THE TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA.

Singled out early on by Alternative Press magazine as "one of the underground's fiercest live acts," THE TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA cut its teeth in the mid-00s, touring with the likes of THE ACACIA STRAIN, DESPISED ICON, CATTLE DECAPITATION, MISERY INDEX and SUICIDE SILENCE. With a rep for dazzling chops and planet-smashing heaviness, balanced by a healthy sense of humor, the Tennessee band released three albums — 2005's self-titled debut, 2007's "Danza II: Electric Boogaloo", and 2010's "Danza III: The Series of Unfortunate Events" — honing a style that would help pave the way for countless younger bands.

For the fourth and final album, "Danza IIII" (think tally marks, not Roman numerals), we find a stripped-down DANZA, consisting solely of core members Jessie Freeland and Josh Travis. With Freeland manning the vocals as always, this time with even more vitriol than ever, the virtuoso Travis is responsible for all other instrumentation on the album. The result: the most musical and bloodlettingly honest work ever to bear the DANZA name. With a decade-long legacy behind them, Freeland and Travis have delivered what will serve as an incredible last will and testament for their band.

Travis, now a full-time member of GLASS CLOUD with former OF MICE & MEN frontman Jerry Roush, made this comment about "Danza IIII": "For this album, Jessie and I were looking to create more of a visceral vibe than a completely technical vibe. There's parts that do still get a bit chaotic, of course, but not nearly as much as the avid listener is used to. Everything about this record is way more to the point, with much more heart put into it rather than just seeing how many notes could be thrown into a part or seeking to create 'the heaviest shit ever' or any of that nonsense. The record being titled 'The Alpha - The Omega', to us, symbolized the beginning and the end of DANZA. Jessie and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it for you all."

"Danza IIII" contains guest vocal appearances by WHITECHAPEL's Phil Bozeman and OBEY THE BRAVE/DESPISED ICON's Alex Erian. The album was engineered and mixed by Nicholas Scott (MISS MAY I). The artwork was created by Michael J. Windsor, known for his work with THE RED CHORD and PIG DESTROYER, and for his book covers for bestsellers like "The Da Vinci Code" and "Darkly Dreaming Dexter".

Black Market Activities' release of "Danza IIII" consists of super-limited CD and vinyl pressings. The CD package contains a 16-page booklet; the vinyl version is comprised of an LP and an additional seven-inch single.

Fans can pre-order "Danza IIII" today via the band's official online store at IndieMerch.com. Various pre-order options are available, including a $99 collector's package which includes four shirts, one sweatshirt, the album on CD and vinyl, two posters, a sticker, and a flask.

"You Won't", the first track to be revealed off "Danza IIII", can be streamed below.

Drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, FORBIDDEN) will sit behind the kit for MANMADE GOD's September 15 performance at New Parish in Oakland, California as the support act for M.I.R.V.

MANMADE GOD features in its ranks Bostaph's former FORBIDDEN bandmate Craig Locicero (guitar).

Commented Locicero: "A little over a week ago, MANMADE GOD got an offer to support one of the Bay Area's most experimental, talented and respected bands, M.I.R.V., on September 15th at the New Parish in Oakland. At the time we didn't think it was possible to play the gig because our drummer, Steve Jacobs, is having family matters that needed tending to. After talking to the Pann [Reed, vocals] and James [Walker, bass], I decided to reach out to Paul Bostaph and see if he'd be interested. I barely explained the situation and he said, 'Yes, I'll do it!'

"Paul will be sitting in for MANMADE GOD for this gig and it marks the first time in a LONG time that Paul and I will get some extensive work in together.

"Rehearsals have been fantastic! It's a new discipline for Paul to play like we do in MANMADE GOD and he's been amazing so far.

"With both of us being older and wiser, there is a great respect and appreciation for each other. I'm really enjoying my time playing with Paul again.

"It's funny, because of the time frame when MANMADE GOD came around in the early 2000s, people assume we were like the rest of the bands around the time. Not even close! It's nice to touch on that era again and give the songs the justice they deserved."

He continued, "We are supporting Steve Jacobs while he's dealing with his personal business and hope everything turns out OK for him and his family. We love our brother. In the meantime, MANMADE GOD rocks with Paul!"

Added Bostaph: "I'm really looking forward to playing live with MANMADE GOD . The songs are really deep and the musicianship is inspiring. I think they were ahead of their time when the first record came out. This will be a blast!"

MANMADE GOD reformed for a Bay Area appearance on July 21 at the New Parish in Oakland, California. It marked the first time all four members played together since January 2005 when they abruptly and unexpectedly called it a day.

MANMADE GOD's self-titled debut album was released in 2004 under Rick Rubin's guidance while co-produced by Brian Joseph Dobbs and later mixed by Sean Beavan. The CD was acclaimed by fans and critics but extremely underexposed and not properly supported after its release. That turned into the frustration that led to their inevitable breakup.

Singer Geoff Tate (QUEENSRŸCHE) revealed last month that he will support ALICE COOPER on a Canadian tour in November, and will embark on a QUEENSRŸCHE "anniversary tour" in 2013 backed by an "all-star lineup" of musicians.

Tate's personal web site, GeoffTate.com, was upgraded with a new banner that reads "Geoff Tate: The Voice Of QUEENSRŸCHE." In addition, he is billed on the web site for booking agency Monterey International as "QUEENSRŸCHE Starring Geoff Tate: The Original Voice."

In a new post on the Queensryche.com web site, which the singer still controls, Geoff has revealed the lineup of his version of QUEENSRŸCHE. It is as follows:

* Geoff Tate - Vocals
* Rudy Sarzo (ANIMETAL USA, WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT, DIO, OZZY OSBOURNE) - Bass
* Bobby Blotzer (RATT) - Drums
* Glen Drover (MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND) - Guitar
* Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE) - Guitar
* Randy Gane – Keyboards

Said Blotzer: "Geoff and QUEENSRŸCHE and RATT have a long history of touring together and I am very excited about this new project with Geoff and the guys."

Comments Geoff: "I'm sure the last few months have been very frustrating for you. I know they have been for me. There are so many questions and so few answers.

"It is said that adversity makes one stronger. Well, I'm definitely in a better place now than I've ever been before. I feel very positive and excited.

"The challenge, when you're in a creative environment, is keeping things fresh and invigorating, and after working with the same people for thirty years, it gets very difficult. You walk into the room, and everybody knows what everyone is going to do. There's no spark, the chemistry is very tried and true and you just keep coming up with the same ways of expressing yourself.

"Today is a new day and I am thrilled to announce the new QUEENSRŸCHE.

"Together we shall embark on a new musical journey that will be a greater extension of where QUEENSRŸCHE has ever been.

"With this new project, with these new people, it's a whole new scene. There are new ideas, different musical backgrounds and a whole new set of parameters. Everyone has ideas you haven't heard before, and everyone is throwing them against the wall and suddenly … the music has a whole new life.

"I look forward to this new life and I hope to see you on tour as all of us come together and begin this new era."

Guitarist Michael Wilton, drummer Scott Rockenfield, bassist Eddie Jackson and Parker Lundgren (guitar) announced on June 20 that they were parting ways with Geoff Tate and recruiting Todd La Torre of CRIMSON GLORY as his replacement.

Wilton, Jackson and Rockenfield defeated Tate's motion for a preliminary injunction on July 13 that would have kept them from touring and operating under the band name,

Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit against Geoff's ex-bandmates on June 22 in King County Superior Court over whether he should be awarded the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being dismissed from the group in June. Their complaint states Rockenfield, Wilton and Jackson wrongfully fired the singer and are tarnishing the group's brand by attempting to move forward without him.

If the case goes to trial, the date is set for November 18, 2013.

Tate taped a guest appearance on VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" last month for an episode which premiered on August 25.

Asked about the cirumstances that led to the split with his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates after nearly 30 years of working together, Tate said, "Well, really, it's kind of difficult to explain, 'cause I'm not in their heads. I can only speculate, really. It came out of the blue for me. We've never had any kind of creative differences, or any kind of a situation where we are at odds with each other. It just happened. And I can only speculate that we're in a really tough recession right now all over the world, and I think that when we have economic times like this, it kind of makes people do strange things. That's really the only speculation I can give — that it's a money thing. We have a company together and [now that] they kicked me out, they can split my 25 percent."

On the topic of whether he is planning on fighting to keep the name QUEENSRŸCHE for himself, Tate replied, "It's something that I've worked all my adult life to take care of and build and protect, and I feel like, yes, it's mine." He continued, "[Right now] we both have the name. The judge [who denied Tate's motion for a preliminary injunction that would have kept his former bandmates from touring and operating under the band name. — Ed.] said something very interesting. My lawyer wanted to say, 'Look, we think that nobody should use the name until we have our court date.' And the judge says, 'I don't see anything different about QUEENSRŸCHE or the FOUR TOPS. It's the same situation.' The FOUR TOPS… [laughs] But, basically, there's two QUEENSRŸCHEs now. Or [at least we have] the ability to have two QUEENSRŸCHEs."

Addressing the accusations by his former bandmates that he was controlling QUEENSRŸCHE's musical direction for much of the last couple of decades, Tate said, "Well, I don't know how I would do that. I have one vote. We do everything by voting. 'I think we should do this, I think we should do this…' That's how we do it. So I don't have the power to dictate where we go in that regard."

When "That Metal Show" co-host Don Jamieson brought up the fact that QUEENSRŸCHE's latest album, 2011's "Dedicated To Chaos", was a huge departure from the metallic sounds of the band's early efforts, Tate said, "[It's] redefining what metal is? Thank you. That's what we've always tried to do — we've always tried to not be somebody else's version of what metal is. We've always tried to forge our own path. And how people take that, you never know. You have to just, kind of, write what's in your heart, you know?!"

Asked what he hopes will happen in his ongoing legal battle with his former bandmates, Tate said, "I'd like to sit in a room with those gentlemen and have them tell me face to face what the situation is. Explain their actions. I'd like to know, and actually understand, their point of view. I'd like to see them talk to me face to face rather than through the Internet. . . Communication is a big part of any kind of relationship — you've gotta have it. And if nobody's talking, then nothing's getting settled. And that's where we're at right now — nobody's talking."

Tate recently completed work on his sophomore solo album, "Kings And Thieves", for an October release via InsideOut Music.

SUICIDE SILENCE vocalist Mitch Lucker was hospitalized this weekend after reportedly developing an infection related to his recently broken elbow.

A series of photos taken at the Orange Coast Memorial hospital in Fountain Valley, California can be found on Lucker's official Twitter profile.

SUICIDE SILENCE is currently seeking a new label home while continuing to write material for its next album, tentatively due in early 2013.

The band's latest album, "The Black Crown", sold around 14,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 28 on The Billboard 200 chart.

SUICIDE SILENCE 's previous CD, "No Time To Bleed", opened with 14,000 units in July 2009 to land at No. 32 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"The Black Crown" was released in North America on July 12, 2010 via Century Media Records.

Norway's TRAIL OF TEARS has uploaded an eight-minute clip featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the band's appearance at the Metal Crowd festival, which was held August 25-26 in Rechitsa, Belarus. Check it out below.

TRAIL OF TEARS earlier in the year finished recording its seventh album at Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France with producer Terje Refsnes. The band is currently seeking a suitable record label to release the effort.

Commented the band: "Cathrine [Paulsen] came through the extreme schedule with flying colours, putting the finishing vocals on the end result and delivered a performance for the history books!

"We believe that we have created something extraordinary and can't wait to share it with you all. Never before has a recording process involved so much blood, sweat and tears!"

TRAIL OF TEARS in March announced the addition of drummer Bjørn to the group's ranks.

The band's longtime drummer Cato Jensen left the band in January in order to focus on other priorities.

TRAIL OF TEARS in 2010 parted ways with guitarist Pål Olsen and opted to carry on as a five-piece.

TRAIL OF TEARS's sixth album, "Bloodstained Endurance", was recorded and mixed over a six-week period at Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France with producer Terje Refsnes.

In 2007, TRAIL OF TEARS was rejoined by vocalist Cathrine Paulsen, who sang on the group's 2002 album, "A New Dimension of Might".

Swedish metallers SOILWORK have posted video footage of the band's guitarist, David Andersson, laying down tracks for their upcoming double album, "The Living Infinite". Check it out at this location.

SOILWORK's follow-up to 2010's "The Panic Broadcast" is being recorded with producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, AMON AMARTH, BLOODBATH).

SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid previously stated about the band's decision to record a double album, "I've been wanting to do this for a while and I proposed the idea to the rest of the guys in the band during our festival tour last summer. Everybody liked the title 'The Living Infinite' and also the idea of working towards the goal of releasing a double album. David Andersson was already playing with us last summer, so he has also been a part of this goal from the start.

"I feel very excited and proud that we've managed to find the inspiration and dedication it takes to create somewhat of a conceptual double album, especially since it's dealing with a lot of existential questions."

"The Living Infinite" will mark the recording debut of SOILWORK's longtime touring guitarist David Andersson (NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA).

SOILWORK's latest album, "The Panic Broadcast", was released in Europe on July 2, 2010 and in North America on July 13, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"The Panic Broadcast" was SOILWORK's studio debut with axeman Sylvain Coudret, who joined in 2008.

Photo by Hannah Verbeuren

Patrick Prince of Powerline recently conducted an interview with vocalist Hansi Kürsch of German power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Powerline: Your musical style has been called power metal, speed metal, thrash, progressive … even bard metal … Doesn't it get tiring to hear all these labels?

Kürsch: As long as people talk, everything is fine. One of the best things which can happen to a band is that it is categorized by its own trademark, so I am very fine with bard or fantasy metal. Luckily, it seems to be difficult to categorize us. Sometimes I am getting more confused by the bands we are compared with.

Powerline: BLIND GUARDIAN's first two albums, "Battalions Of Fear" and "Follow The Blind", were more in the style of speed metal than their following works.

Kürsch: ?Depending on the point of view. They certainly are easier to categorize. Speed, in terms of music, is so much a matter of understanding and one's musical point of view. I, personally, think we have accomplished many faster songs afterwards. Some fans may disagree about that. It really is a matter of perspectives. Both albums were strongly related to the spirit and the musical understanding of the late '80s.

Powerline: And then there's the term "German metal." Germany has represented heavy metal very well for decades with bands like SCORPIONS, ACCEPT, HELLOWEEN … Is there a certain German sound to you — even subtle? Were you influenced by these bands and did you ever get a chance to form a camaraderie with them?

Kürsch: Yes and no. The SCORPIONS and ACCEPT have not been our number one bands, but are always very well respected by us, while HELLOWEEN can be seen as a strong inspiration for BLIND GUARDIAN. There were other bands, of course, but when we listened to the HELLOWEEN outputs in the mid-'80s, we knew our mission. We have a very good relationship with Kai [Hansen] and HELLOWEEN. They belong to the nicest people you can imagine.

Powerline: Do you feel that you have captured the American market well enough?

Kürsch: No, not at all. It took almost 12 years to get a foot in the door and another 13 years to introduce ourselves. That's all what has happened so far. I believe, that the Northern American market, especially the U.S. market, is about to become aware of the band in a more mainstream-ish manner. Quality music will be rediscovered by the people.

Powerline: In America, the term "power ballad" comes with some negative connotations of it being a wimpy song from a hair band. However, BLIND GUARDIAN's European style of power ballads, if you will, are a lot more riveting and mature. Songs such as "Lord Of The Rings" and "The Bard's Song", for instance. Is it harder to write a power ballad than a regular metal song?

Kürsch: Depending on the composer. To Marcus [Siepen, guitar] or me, a power ballad usually comes more natural, while for André [Olbrich, lead guitar], it most probably would be a straight-forward song such as "Another Stranger Me", which might come more natural. The regular heavy stuff such as "Tanelorn" or "Imaginations" require a lot of detailed work and serious thoughts, because they are not written on a nice and sunny afternoon, but over months. So they are definitely harder to compose.

Powerline: What's the update on an orchestral project for BLIND GUARDIAN? Is it still slated for 2013?

Kürsch: 2013 sounds a little ambitious at the moment. I am hoping for 2014. This could be a great year. Ever since "A Night At The Opera", my goal is to release the orchestral album the same year we are going to release the studio album. In vain, so far. But I will never give up hope.

Read the entire interview from Powerline.